Case Study Four:

Helen’s Lane, Old Mill, Mill Valley

Close-up of a small house or shed with a large arched window, shingled exterior, and a sloped roof, surrounded by trees and plants.

Gazebo

The most troubling aspect of the existing house home was the steep drop from the drive way down to the Entrance door. This had significantly lowered the home’s marketability and potential sale price.

The owner’s program for this home, located in a steeply sited redwood forest in Mill Valley included a total gut remodel inside and out, new bedrooms Addition, dormers, carport and Gazebo

A wooden house with brown shingles, white window frames, and a gray shingled roof, surrounded by lush green trees and plants.

New Foyer

A view of a house partially obscured by trees with green leaves, featuring a large arched window with small panes, a brick chimney, and a sloped roof, surrounded by a garden and greenery.

Front

Our solution was to create a new Entrance point, along with a new Foyer, which was located at the stair landing between the First and Second Floor. That changed both the perceived, and the actual, vertical drop of the Entry path. A meandering garden walkway was then created to enliven the Entry experience.

A few years later the property sold for about 230% of the owners total investment in the property.

Bright kitchen with large windows, wooden cabinets, a marble countertop, and a central island with plates on it. There are chairs, a small table, and a cozy bay window nook with cushions outside the window.

Kitchen

A bright kitchen with white walls and dark wood cabinets, featuring a white range hood and a vintage dining table with decorative plates, surrounded by windows with green foliage outside.

Kitchen